U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,219 of Eckstrum, entitled "Combination Automotive Creeper and Braking Apparatus Therefore," discloses an automotive creeper structure that includes four vertically movable feet for lifting the wheels of the apparatus off the ground and a pair of longitudinally slidable camming bars that each include ramp sections, which can be moved longitudinally in a manner that engages the feet, displacing them vertically and lifting the creeper apparatus from the ground. A pair of outwardly swingable handles are provided to effectuate longitudinal movement of the carnring bars.
With Eckstrum's disclosed apparatus, the feet and wheels are both mounted to the pad structure of the creeper. The camming bars are slidably carried on the main frame structure. In order to stop and brake the creeper in position, it is necessary to slide the main frame longitudinally relative to the pad structure and with enough force to move the ramp sections past the feet in order to depress the feet downwardly against the ground until the wheels and pad structure are lifted. The camming bars are moved longitudinally by means of a pair of handles that are pivotally secured to both the pad structure and the camming bars and which swing outwardly with enough force to slide the ramps past the feet and lift the entire apparatus. It is believed that this operation is more strenuous then necessary and more demanding than practicable, given the constraints of working beneath a vehicle. In addition, Eckstrum's apparatus includes many different components that complicate manufacture and operation of the apparatus.
The present invention is an attempt to simplify a creeper's design, not only to reduce manufacturing cost, but also to enable easier and quicker operation of the apparatus.
Reference is made to Eckstrum's description of the creeper prior art for a good background discussion of creeper design considerations and prior art attempts at improved creeper apparatus.